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Mother Truth 
Melodies 



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A KlNDERGARTE 

fOR 

Little Fol 



O)ooooonroonoooooonooof)0(i l 





LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

LSUT7 



■ 






'Ai 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



rTNV^^asg^^^^/O^ 



MOTHER TRUTH'S MELODIES. 











; xll§l2llSIl§l;l - iiwS 







MELODIES. 

Common Sense for Children. 

^ KINDERGARTEN. 



MRS. e: p. miller, 

AUTHOR OF 

A FATHER'S ADVICE, A BOOK FOR EVERY BOY," AND 
"A MOTHER'S ADVICE, A BOOK FOR EVERY GIRL." 






WITH 300 ILLUSTRATIONS. 



<&. 



NEW YORK: 

G. W. Carleton &• Co., Publishers. 

LONDON : S. LOW, SON & CO. 
MDCCCLXXIX. 



'.'in) 



16)177 
.A\(> 



Copyright by 
G. W. CARLETON & CO. 

1878. 



Trow's 
Printing & Bookbinding Co. 
205-213 East J2tk St., 

NEW YORK. 




To all who love the Children, 

This book, INSCRIBED, I bring,— 
Thus reaching forth to draw you 

Within my charmed Ring; 
Where seeds and germs we '11 nurture 

In babies, children, youth, 
Till every plant shall blossom, 

And bear the fruits of TRUTH. 




INTRODUCTION. 



Since little ones are geese no more, 

But knowing have become, 
It ill beseems that "Mother Goose" 

Should dwell in every home. 
So "Mother Truth" in "Melodies" 

For Babes, here lifts her voice, 
Assured that parents, children, all, 

Will welcome and rejoice. 




NOTE, 



ET no one suppose that the Author of these 
" Melodies " considers them poetry. They are 
simply rhymes, the jingle of which may be 
music in the children's ears, and the 
illustrations a delight to eager eyes. 
The Truths presented, even if not fully 
understood at first, will leave their im- 
press, and in so far as they fill the 
little minds, will keep out falsehood and false ideas. 

The putting of facts in such form as to attract the at- 
tention of the little ones, and be readily fixed in their 
memory, was first suggested to the writer of these rhymes 
by a valued friend, the well-known philanthropist. Mrs. 
Elizabeth Thompson, and her interest in the " Melodies " 
is such that she has generously assisted in procuring illus- 
trations for the same. 

Thus "Mother Truth's Melodies" are introduced with 
the hope that this effort to entertain children with rhyming 
reason will meet with the approval of every lover of the 
young and of Truth. 

E. P. M. 




~^^&2 



PAGE 

Fly Away, Mother Goose, 13 

Toss the Baby, 14 

Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake, 15 

Hey, my Kitten, my Kitten, 16 

WlNKUM, WlNKUM, 17 

Baby's Bell, 18 

Willy-nilly, 19 

Humpty-dumpty, 20 

Hush-a-bye, . 22 

Don't make me Laugh, ... .... 26 

Bye-baby-bunting, . , 27 

To Bed with the Chickens, 28 

Dive me Sudar, 29 

Tause I'm Tross, 3° 

The New Book, 3 2 

Whiskum, Whiskum, 33 

The Jack-Horse, 34 

Hi-diddle-diddle, 35 

The Rain, . 3 6 

1* 



io Contents. 

FAGE 

Feed the Birdies, 37 

Rock-a-bye, 3 8 

Little Bo-peep, . 45 

Mama, Panky me, . 4 6 

Little Jack Horner, 4 8 

Little Boy Blue, . 49 

Miss Velvet-Paws, . , 5° 

Polly Hopkins, , . • 5 1 

A, B, C, .... 52 

C-a-t spells Cat, 5 8 

The Kitten, 6i 

Dolly Dimple, ......... 64 

If you Please, 69 

The Poor Little Chick-a dees, 70 

Heigh-ho, Daisies and Buttercups, 74 

The Pony, 75 

Fee-fi-fo-fum, 80 

The Oxen, .......... 88 

The Broken Pitcher, ....... 92 

The Elephants, 93 

The Wind, the Fog, the Rain, the Snow, ... 94 

Truth, 98 

hl-diddle, ho-diddle, ....... ioo 

What is the Axis? 104 

The Language Key 107 

Twinkle, Twinkle, , 108 

Old Sol in a Jingle, . . . . . . . no 

"Robert of Lincoln," 113 

LlMPY-DIMPY-DINGLE, 1 14 

The Rattle of the Bones, . . . . . .116 



Contents. 1 1 

PAGE 

Wholly Holey, 121 

The Breath o' Life, . . .... 124 

Curious Trees: the Cow-Tree; the Sugar- Pine ; the But- 
ter-Tree ; the Bread-fruit Tree ; the Clove-Tree, . 125 

No Eyes, 130 

The Mammoth Cave, 132 

The Camels, 134 

Key-notes, 139 

The Bears, . . 140 

The Bear a Blessing, .*...,. 143 

The Raccoon, 146 

The Bank- Swallows, . . . . . . . 152 

The Mocking-Bird, 156 

The busy Bees, 158 

Honey-Sweet, 167 

What they Say, » 170 

Britain's Rulers, 177 

Signs of the Zodiac, . 180 

Little Mischief, 183 

Grandma's Canary, . . 187 

Handsome Dick, ........ 190 

The Dinner-Pot, 195 

Dare to say NO, . 196 

Ask Mother, . 199 

Tell Mother, 199 

Don't tell a Lie, ........ 200 

The Children's Rail-Road, 202 

Mabel's Snow-feathers, 208 

The Laddie- and Lassie-Birds, ...... 212 



MOTHER TRUTH'S MELODIES. 



FLY AWA Y % MOTHER GOOSE. 




Mother Goose, Mother 
Goose, 
Fly, fly away ! 
Mother Truth 's coming 
now, 
Coming to-day. 
She '11 tell us funny things, 

But they '11 be true ; -^ 
She '11 bring us pictures, 
As many as you ; 

She '11 sing us Melodies helping to show 
How, to true women and men, we may grow. 




H 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



TOSS THE BABY. 




TOSS the baby high in air ; 
Catch him though with special care, 
Lest his little back be strained, 
Lest his little joints be sprained, 
Lest his bones be bent or broken, 

Lest through life he bear 
some token 
Of a careless toss or 

fall, 
That for sympathy shall 

call, 
And that must forever 

be 
Painful to our memory. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



15 



PAT-A-CAKE, PAT-A-CAKE. 

PAT-A-CAKE, pat-a-cake, 

Mama's boy, 
Laughing and crowing, 
And jumping with joy ; 
Roll it and pick it and mark it with B, 
And toss in the oven for Baby and me. 




Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, 

Papa's girl, 
Springing in baby-glee, 
Shaking her curl ; 
Roll it and pick it and mark it with G, 
And toss in the oven for Girly and me. 



i6 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



HEY, MY KITTEN, MY KITTEN. 




HEY, my kitten, my kitten, 
Hey, my kitten, my deary ; 

If Mama should feed him too 
often, 
He never could be so cheery. 
Here we go up, up, up, 

And here we go 
down, down, 
down-y, 
: If we never feed 
baby too much, 
\N^i Heneverwillgive 
us a frown-y. 



Hey, my kitten, my kitten, 

Hey, my kitten, my deary ; 
We'll put him to bed with the birdies, 

And that will make him so cheery ! 

Here we go up, up, up, 
And here we go down, down, down-y ; 
If we give him nothing but smiles, 

He will give us never a frown-y. 



Mother Trut/is Melodies. 



17 



WINKUM, WINKUM 




WlNKUM, 
Sweet, my 



winkum, shut your eye, 
^* baby, lullaby ; 



For the dew is falling soft, 
Lights are flickering up aloft, 
And the head-light 's peeping over 
Yonder hill-top capped with clover ; 
Chickens long have gone to rest, 
Birds lie snug within their nest, 
And my birdy soon will be 
Sleeping with the chick-a-dee, 
For with only half a try, 
Winkum, winkum, shuts her eye. 



i8 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



BABYS BELL. 





INGLE ! jingle ! baby's bell ;— 
What a tale its tongue might tell. 
Could it speak it sure would say, 
" When the baby 's tired with 

play, 
And is getting cross, don't try 

To jingle bells, but hush-a-bye ; 

All so still, now crooning low, 

Lull-a-bye, bye-o, bye-o, — 

Quiet down his quaking nerves, 

Soothe him as his state deserves ; — 

Passing hand from head to feet, 

Sl-o-w-l-y, softly, loving, sweet, 

As to smooth the feathers down, 

Rumpled from your birdling's crown ; — 



Mother Trutlis Melodies. 19 

See, he sleeps, and in his dream 
Yours may hand of angel seem, 
Ravelling out the tangled ills, 
Knitting up with restful thrills." 



WILLY-NILLY. 




Willy-nilly, birdy sings, 

For he's running over 
With the music that he flings 

To his sweet bird-lover ; — 
Willy-nilly, baby laughs, 

Gay and glad and gleeful ; 
Brimming over high with health, 

She is always plavful. 



20 Mother Trut/is Melodies. 



HUMPTY-D UMPTY. 




Humpty-dumpty, hip-o'-to-hop, 
Baby is crying, why doesn't he stop ? 
What does he cry for ? his clothing is tight ; — 
No wonder such things make baby a fright. 

Humpty-dumpty, hip-o'-to-hop, 
Baby was crying, but now he will stop ; 
What did he cry for ? his clothing was wet ; — 
No wonder such things should make babies fret. 

Humpty-dumpty, hip-o'-to-hop, 
Baby is crying, oh, when will he stop ? 
What does he cry for ? his feet are a-cold ; — 
No wonder such things should make baby scold. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 21 

Humpty-dumpty, hip-o'-to-hop, 
Baby is crying, but soon he will stop ; 
What does he cry for ? he had too much food ; — 
No baby in this way can ever be good. 

Humpty-dumpty, hip-o'-to-hop, 
Baby is laughing and scarcely will stop ; 
What does he laugh for ? Oh, when he feels well, 
He always is happy, — 'tis thus we can tell. 



22 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



HUSH-A-BYE. 

HUSH-A-BYE, baby, 

On Grandmother's lap ; 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

And take a nice nap ; 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

What is it you say ? 
Your " teeth are a-coming," 
You're " ten months to-day' 
Well, babies must cry, 
And Grandmothers must try 
To comfort and hush them, but never forget 
That little gums ache, 
And little nerves quake, 
Till little lips quiver, and babies must fret. 




Hush-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 cool his hot gums, 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

With tiny ice-crumbs ; 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

We'll rub hard and long 
With icy-cold finger, — 

See him list to my song ! 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Ah, babies are sweet 

If their wants we but meet, 




\ 

So why should we blame them when fretful and cross ? 

Let us find what is wrong, 

And remove it ere long, 
And we '11 see that time thus spent is never a loss. 

Hush-a-bye, baby, 

What more can we do, 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

That will comfort you ? 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 lay you down flat, 
On your stomach, dear baby, 

On Grandmother's lap. 



24 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 

Nor trot you a mite, 

No matter how slight, 
But, sure that your clothing is all dry and neat, 

We'll loosen each band, 

And with soft and warm hand, 
Gently rub you all over from head to your feet. 

Hush-a-bye, baby, 

We will not forget, 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

That hands may be wet, 




Hush-a-bye, baby, 

And soothe you sometimes, 
When dry hands won't do it, 

Hush, list to my rhymes ! 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 25 

And now we '11 not nurse 

Till the nursing 's a curse ; 
Nor dose you, nor drug you, nor feed with sweet-meats ; 

Nor to soothe, will we try, 

With old " Dame Winslow " by, 
For our hopes for the babies, she ever defeats. 

Hush-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 quiet his nerves, 
Hush-a-bye, baby, 

The truth it deserves — 
Hush-a-bye, baby — 

Even here to be known : 
We will quiet his nerves 

"By just calming our own ! 
And our baby will feel 
The sweet hush o'er him steal, 
That brings with it soothing and comfort and rest ; 
And to slumber so soft, 
His spirit we'll waft, 
And then lay him away in his own baby nest. 




26 



Mother Trutti s Melodies. 



DON' T MAKE ME LA UGH. 




Dear Mama, I've been laughing 

For Uncle Ben and Pa, 
And then for sister Lizzie 

I talked " ar-g-o-o " and " gar ; " 
And then a " little story " 

For Dick and Cousin Jane, — 
And now you, Mama, want me 

To laugh and talk again. 

I'd like to do it, Mama, but if I even try, 

I am so weary with it, I'm sure I'd only cry ! 

Don't let them try, dear Mama, to make me laugh and 

crow, 
I'll do it when I'm able, for babies always do. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



27 



B YE-BAB Y-B UN TING. 




Bye-baby-bunting, 
The Indians live by hunting, 
And bring home many a beaver-skin 
To wrap the little pappoose in. 

And mother-squaw the baby '11 tie 
J Fast on a board, and swinging 
high, 
Will hang it up among the trees 

To rock-a-bye with every 

breeze ; 
But our dear baby, snug 
IJi and warm, 

F^-^z Shall rock-a-bye on mo- 
ther's arm. 




28 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS. 




Oh, put me in my bed, Mama, 
When chickens go to rest, 

For I'm your little chick-a-dee, 
So put me in my nest. 

Yes, when the birds forget to sing, 
And lambs forget to play, 

You '11 put your birdy in his nest, 
Your lamb you '11 fold away. 




7V> 



Mother Truth's Melodijs. 



2 9 



DIVE ME SUDAR. 




Papa, when you dive me tandy, 

Dive me only white, — 
Tause there 's poison in the tolored, 

Which my health will blight ; 
But you better dive me sudar, 

Let the tandy be, — 
'Tause I shall not want so much, 

And that is best for me. 



3° 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



TAUSE FM TROSS. 




MAMA, 'tause I'm tross don't whip me ; 

I tan't help it, not a bit ! 
'Tis the tandy hurts my stomat, 

And that mates me whine and fret. 
Sometimes, too, I'm whipped for trossness 

When the trossness tomes from meat ; 



Mother Truth's Ale todies. 

Thint how tiders drowl and drumble, 
And then dive me food to eat 



31 







^J 



^ 



That will mate me well and happy, — 
Wheat and oat-meal, rice and fruit, 

These will mate me dood and gentle, 
'Stead of mating me a brute. 




32 



Mother Truth's' Melodies. 



THE NEW BOOK. 




COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO, 
A picture-book for you, — 
Keep it nice, and in a trice, 
Sing Cock-a-doodle-doo. 



Mother Truth 's Melodi 



cs. 



33 



WHISKUM, WHISKUM. 







WHISKUM, whiskum, over the house, 
Scud the cloudlets, still as a mouse ; 
Whiskum, whiskum, by-and-by 
They '11 pour rain-drops from the sky. 



34 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE JACK-HORSE. 




We will ride our Jack-horse 
All the meadows across ; 
Oh no, do not whip him, 
But feed him, my dear ! 
A handful of grass 
In his mouth as we pass, 
Will make him trot gayly, 
And give us good cheer ! 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



35 



HI-DIDDLE-DIDDLE. 




Hl-DIDDLE-DIDDLE, 

Mother duck 's in the middle, 
Her baby-ducks swimming around ; 
With bills like a ladle, 
And feet like a paddle, 
No danger that they will be drowned. 




36 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



THE RAIN. 




Come, rain, come, 

; That the water may run, 

That the meadow grass may grow ; 
That the fruit and grain, 
O'er hill and plain, 
May greet us as we go. 



Come, rain, come, 

That the water may run, 
That the mill may make our meal ; — 

'Twill grind our wheat, 

And corn so sweet, 
When it turns the old mill-wheel. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



37 



FEED THE BIRDIES. 




FEED the birdies, darling, 

When the snow is here, 
When there are no berries, 

On the bushes, dear ; — 
Scatter food out for them, 

And they '11 quickly come, 
Hopping, singing, chirping, 

" Thank you for the crumb." 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



ROCK-A-BYE. 

ROCK-A-BYE, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ;- 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Don't tremble with fear, 
For that tends to make 

His slight illness severe. 



S^ 




Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Don't coax him to nurse, 
For urging to eat 

Only makes matters worse. 



Mother Trutlis Melodies. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We'll soon have him well ;- 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

No company 'round, 
Not even the dear ones, 

To make a loud sound. 



39 




Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Don't rattle the papers 
Nor whisper around, 

Little nerves cut such capers. 



40 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Whatever is wrong, 
Attend to his bowels, 

Neglected too long. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

If he is too hot, 
Undress him and bathe him ; 

But, ah ! he is not. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

There is cough with unrest, 
So we '11 wring out hot flannels 

And cover his chest. 






Mother Truth's Melodies. 41 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

He 's perspiring, to pour ! 
We will keep up this treatment 

A full hour or more. 




Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Now dry him off neat, 
And wrap him up warm, 

And to-morrow, repeat. 



42 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ;— 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Tis not in his chest ? 
Then place the hot flannels 

Where he feels the unrest. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ;— 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

He is moaning with pain, 
And rolling his head, 

And we pet him in vain. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ;— 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We will wring out from ice, 
Linen cloths for his head, 

All so cooling and nice. 



Mother Trtittis Melodies, 43 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

If cold don't relieve, 
Use hot and then cold, 

And then hot, you perceive. 




Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling is ill, 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 soon have him well ; — 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

We '11 see that his feet 
Are kept warm all the time, 

And his clothes dry and neat. 



44 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Rock-a-bye, baby, 

Our darling was ill ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

But now he is well ; 
Rock-a-bye, baby, 

No drugs, not a dose ! 
Yet he 's over it finely, 

Just hear how he crows ! 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



45 



LITTLE BO-PEEP. 




Co' Nan, co' Nan, says little Bo-Peep, 
Co' Nan, co' Nan, up come the sheep ; 
They jump the ditch and scale the wall, 
Where one sheep goes, they follow, all. 

Co' dea', co' dea', says little Bo-peep, 
Co' dea', co' dea', I '11 shear my sheep ; 
Their wool so fine will make my coat, 
My blankets and my hose to boot. 




4 6 



Mother Truth, 's Melodies. 



MAMA, PANKY ME. 




See the baby run and tumble 

'Cross his mother's knee, 
While his merry voice is shouting, 

" Mama, panky me ! " 

Hundred times he '11 run and tumble 

Thus in childish glee, 
Bursting forth in joyous laughter, 

" Mama, panky me." 

But if she should " pank " in earnest, 

Half as hard as now, 
Quick would come in place of sunshine, 

Clouds upon his brow. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



47 



Ves, if she should "pank" in earnest, 

Little eyes would fill, 
Little lips would curl and quiver, 

Little shout be still. 




Till the little heart no longer 

Could contain its woe, 
Then burst forth in cries of anguish. 

Such as babies know. 




4 8 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



LITTLE JACK HORNER. 




Little Jack Horner 
Sat in the corner, 

Eating a morsel of nice brown bread ; 
" Have some pie, or some cake " ? 
" Nay, not I," with a shake 

And a toss of his wise little head. 
For this bread will make bone, 
And white teeth like a stone, 

That will neither grow soft nor decay ; 
But rich cake and rich pie 
Sure will break, bye and bye, 

My good health, and that never will pay. 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



49 



LITTLE BOY BLUE. 

ITTLE Boy Blue, may I go with you 
now ? " 
4< Yes, down to the pasture to drive 
up the cow." 




Little boy blue, what then may I 
have ? " 

A nice cup of milk as ever 
cow gave." 



Little boy blue, the milk must be set ; " 

Yes, for 'tis thus the nice cream we shall get." 

Little boy blue, what will we do then ? " 

We '11 skim it and dash it, with ' churn, butter, churn. ' ' 

Little boy blue, what else can we make ? " 
O, cheese, tempting cheese, and the dainty cheese- 
cake." 

Little boy blue, is there anything more ? " 

O, yes, puddings, custards, and dainties, a store." 

Little boy blue, shall we eat of all these ? " 
Simple food is far better for us, if you please ? " 
3 



;o 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



MISS VELVET-PAWS. 




Little Miss Velvet-paws. 
Ravelling out her yarn, 
Catches mice, in a trice, 
In everybody's barn. 



Look out for velvet paws, 
Do not trust them far, 
For velvet paws cover claws 
That will leave a scar. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



5* 



POLL V HOPKINS. 




~\ -4 J X&&* 



Now little Polly Hopkins 
Must surely know great A, 
And B, and C, and D, and E, 

F, G, H, I, J, K ; 
And L, and M, and N, and O, 
AndP, andO, R, S, 
And T, U, V, and W, X, 

And Y, & Z, I guess. 



52 



Mother Trtdti s Melodies. 



J±, B, O 




Stands for 

Alligator, 





Stands for Ball, 




Stands for Cat in a 
cream-pot, 






Stands for Doll. 



M, 




Mother Trutlis Melodies. 



53 




Stands for East, or 
Ellen, 





Stands for Fay, 




Stands for Goat, a Pen /Jf . i 

in, 




Stands for Hay. 




Stands for Indigestion, 




54 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




Stands for Jar, 





Stands for King, or 
Keepsake, 



Stands for La. 




Stands for Man, or 
Thousand, 




Stands for Nail, 





m 



£ 




looo 



Mother Triitli s Melodi 



cs. 



55 





MM 



Stands for Oaken 
bucket, 





Stands for Pail. 



Stands for Queen, or 
Question, 




Stands for Rose, 




Stands for Christmas 
Stocking, 






Mother Trutlis Melodies. 




Stands for Toes. 



X 





Stands for Urn, or 
Ulster, 




■ V 




j|| Stands for Vane, 





Stands for West, or 
Winter, 




Mother Trutli s Melodies. 



57 




Stands for Ten. 




Stands for Yoke 
(with Oxen), 









Stands for Zero, 



H 


1! 

— i 


II — = 


— 


Lg 


Hi 


N 





when you 've learned your LETTERS, 
You '11 be a Hero. 



58 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 




C-A-T SPELLS CAT. 



I ^ C-A-T spells Cat, 



That brought the kittens here ; 




D-O-G spells Dog, 

That does, the puppies, rear. 




C-O-W, Cow, 

The mother of the calf ; 




O-X spells the Ox, 

That's bigger, yes, by half. 






Mother Truth's Melodies. 59 

B-O-Y spells Boy, 

That 's little brother Lou ; 

G-I-R-L, Girl, . 

And that is sister Sue. 

B-I-R-D, Bird, 

Just hear canary sing ; 

G-O-L-D, Gold, 

That makes a handsome ring. 





B-O-O-K, Book, 

In which we learn to read ; 

C-O-O-K, Cook, 

Supplies the food we need. 



60 Mother Truth 's Melodies. 

S-E-E-D, Seed, 




From which we raise the 
plant ; 

S-I-N-G, Sing, 

Just hear the children chant. 

B-A, BA, B-Y, BY, 

And that spells BABY, love; 

L-A, LA, D-Y, DY, 

And that spells LADY, dove. 

M-A, Ma, R-Y, ry, 

And that spells MARY, child, 

E-D, Ed, D-Y, dy, 

That's EDDY, sweet and 
mild. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



61 



THE KITTEN. 




One, two, (l, 2,) 

Here 's a kitten for you ;- 

Three, four, (3, 4,) 

She will open the door,— 



Five, six, (5, 6,) 

And your cream she will mix, 



62 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 







y?s*z>* 



h <L— 



MS n? 







Seven, eight, (7, 8,) 
If you are too late, — 

Nine, ten, (9, 10,) 
To cover the pan ; 

Eleven, twelve, (li, 12,) 
And then you must delve, - 

Thirteen, fourteen, (13, 14,) 
To cover her sporting ; 



Fifteen, sixteen, (15, 16,) 
But while you are fixing 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



63 




Seventeen, eighteen, (17, 18,) 
Remember I'm waiting, — 

Nineteen, twenty, (19, 20,) 
For butter, a plenty. 



To those who serve you, children, all, 

Be gentle and polite, — 
For thus are gentle-women known, 

Or gentle-men, at sight. 



6 4 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



DOLLY DIMPLE. 




Dolly Dimple, just for fun, 
Stands to show us she is One. 




Dolly and her sister Sue 

Show that One with One make Two. 



Mother TrtttJi s Melodies, 



65 




Dolly, Sue, and Nanny Lee 

Show that One with Two make Three. 




Doll, Sue, Nan, and little Noah 

Show that One with Three make Four. 



66 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




Doll, Sue, Nan, Noah, and Ben Brive 
Show that One with FOUR make Fivi 




Now all these with Jenny Hicks 
Show that One with Five make Six. 



Mother Trutli s Melodies. 



67 




One more, Ned, a baby even, 

Shows that One with Six make SEVEN. 




With these girls and boys, put Kate, 
And the One with Seven make Eight. 



68 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




All these Eight, with Adaline 

Show that One with Eight make Nine. 




Now with these put Dick, and then 

You '11 see that One with Nine make TEN. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



69 



IF YOU PLEASE, 




I HOPE my children never will 
Say, " Give me this or that," — 

But, " If you please, I 'd like a bun ; " 
Or, " Thank you for a pat." 



;o 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE POOR LITTLE CHICK-A-DEES. 




EN little chick-a-dees clinging to a vine, — 
A speckled snake charmed one, then there 
were but NINE. 




NINE little chick-a-dees, — one without a mate,— 

A Sparrow-hawk caught one, then there were but EIGHT. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



7< 




EIGHT little chick-a-dees, by a 'possum driven, — 
He caught one and slaughtered it, then there were but 
SEVEN. 




Seven little chick-a-dees hopping round the ricks, — 
A Weasel came and captured one, then there were but 
SIX. 




Six little chick-a-dees watching Rover di\e, — ■ 
He sprang ashore and seized one, then there were but 
FIVE. 



72 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 




FIVE little chick-a-dees pecking at the door, — 
Kitty-cat caught one, then there were but FOUR. 




FOUR little chick-a-dees full of birdy-glee, — 

One was tangled in a net, then there were but THREE. 




THREE little chick-a-dees dabbling in the dew, — 

A stone fell and crushed one, then there were but 

TWO. 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



73 




Two little chick-a-dees peeping just for fun, — 

A naughty Kite nabbed one, then there was but ONE. 




One little chick-a-dee, mourning all alone, 

Flew away to find a mate, and then there was None. 




74 



Mother Trutlis Melodies. 



HEIGH-HO, DAISIES AND 
BUTTER-CUPS. 



EIGH-HO, daisies and but- 
ter-cups 
Grow in the meadows for 
children to gather; 
But cattle will shun them, 
And farmers will burn 
them, 
Because in their fields they 
are only a bother. 

eigh-ho, red-top and clover- 
bloom, 
Filling the air with their sweet- 
ness and beauty, 
Will yield without measure, 
Their wealth of rich treasure, 
k Rewarding the farmer for doing his duty. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



75 



THE PONY. 




Once 2 is 2, 

Here 's a pony for you ; 




Two 2s are 4, 

But be careful the 
more, — 

Three 2s are 6, 
For perhaps pony 
kicks : 



Four 2s are 8, 

And if so we must wait, 



7 6 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Five 2s are 10, 

Till he 's trained by the men,- 




Six 2s are 12, 

Before trusting ourselve? 




Mother Truth's Melodi 

Seven 2s are 14, 

To ride him out sporting ; 

Eight 2s are 16, 

But we can be fixing — 



cs. 



77 




Nine 2s are 18, 

His food while we 're waiting ; 

Ten 2s are 20, 

Oh, yes, give him plenty, — 

Eleven 2s are 22, 

For then he will be gentle to — 



78 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




Twelve 2s are 24, 

Us who feed and pet him more. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



79 




8o 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



FEE-FI-FO-FUM. 







Fee-fi-fo-fum, 
From the Spruce-tree comes the 

gum; 
From the Pine tne turpentine 

Tar and pitch, 

And timber which 
Is very choice and fine. 



Fee-fi-fo-fum, 
How from Spruce 
tree comes the 
gum? 
So ft enough ; — the 
sticky stuff, 
From seam and 

cleft, 
Both right and left, 
Flows out, and hard- 
ens, rough. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Fay-fi-fo-fee, 
Nut-galls grow on the Oak-tree ; 
By tiny worms the nut-gall forms, 

Like little ball ; 

And from Nut-gall 
The Gallic Acid comes. 




Fee-fi-fo-fade, 

From Nut-galls, too, the Tannin 's made ; 

While Acorns grow in group or row ; — 
And Live-oak strong 
Makes ship-masts, long, 

That round the world may go. 



82 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 

Fee-fi-fo-fap, 
We tap the Maples, and the sap 




We find as sweet as sugar-beet, 
Then boiling hard, 
Our sure reward, 

The maple-sugar treat. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



33 




m 



'*-*■' 






Fay-fi-fo-fee, 
See the graceful White-Birch tree, 
With bark so light, so tough and 
tight 

That Indians wrought 
Canoes we're taught, 
And paddled out of sight. 



^^m 



84 Mother Trutti s Melodies. 

Fee-fi-fo-fap, 
Hark and hear the Hemlock snap ;- 
Little spine so full of wind, 
Heated, hops, 
And jumping, pops, 
And makes the bright eyes shine. 




Fee-fi-fo-fur, 
See the curious chestnut-burr ; 
Green and round, then turning brown, 

Frost opens wide 

Each prickly side 
And out the chestnuts bound. 



Mother Truth *s Melodies. 

Fee -fi-fo-fay, 
Now the farmer makes his hay ; 
Grasses grow, which workmen mow, — 

Toss every-wise, 

Till sunshine dries, 
Then into stacks, they stow. 



85 




Fay- fee fi-fo, 
See the farmer wield his hoe, 
Lettuce, greens, then corn and beans, 

With pumpkin-vines 

Along the lines, 
Where many a weed o'er-leans. 



86 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Fee-fi-fo-fog, 
See the wriggling pollywog, — * 





With funny tail ; but without fail 

This pollywog 

Will grow a frog, 
And lose his wiggle-tail. 

Fee-fi-fo-faint, 
Colors, seven, the Rainbow paint; 
Violet bright is first in sight — 

Then indigo, 

Blue, green, yellow, 
Orange and red, — the seven, White. 



* Common name for pollywig, or tadpole. 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



87 




Fay-fee-fi-fo, 
Now you ask, "What makes 
Rainbow ? " 
g. It is the sun, my darling one, 
Shines through the rain, 
O'er hill and plain, — 
But, see, the beauty 's flown ! 



Fay-fi-fo-fear, 
Don't you understand it, dear ? 
Raindrops fall, Sun shines through all, 

Reflects beyond, 

This beauteous wand 
Which we, the Rainbow, call. 



88 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE OXEN. 

The oxen are such clever beasts, 
They '11 drag the plough all day ; 

They 're very strong and tug along 
Great loads of wood or hay 



They feed on grass, 
when green or 
dry; 




Their flesh is beef, for food ; 
Their lungs are " lights," 
their stomach, " tripe," 
Their skin for leather 's good. 



Their hair men use in mortar, too, — 
Lime, water, sand, and hair, 

They nicely mix and smoothly fix, 
For plastering, so fair. 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



8 9 




For making soap their bones are used ; 

Their horns for combs we group ; 
Their feet are boiled for " neat's-foot-oil," 

Their tails for ox-tail soup. 

Their heart-case forms a money-bag ; 

Their tallow, candles, white ; 
Their intestine, gold-beater's skin, 

With which gold-leaf we smite. 




Thus every part is useful made ; 

The same is true of cows, — 
Except their ilk gives luscious milk 

Instead of dragging ploughs. 



90 Mother Truth's Melodies, 

Oxen and cows are " cattle " called ; 

They go in " herds," when wild ; 
But when they're tame, by other name, 

A " drove," en masse, they 're styled. 




Their little ones are " calves," — and cows' 

Rich milk produces cream, 
Which butter makes, and nice cheese-cakes, 

With curd, whey, and caseine. 

And now 'tis funny, but 'tis true, 

Some children young and mazy, 
Have thought their eyes were used some-wise, 

To make the ox-eyed daisy ! 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

This can not be, yet creatures' bones 
Placed round trees, plants, and bowers, 

Will serve to feed just what they need, 
To grow fine fruits and flowers. 



91 




92 Mother Truth 's Melodies. 

THE BROKEN PITCHER. 

" Sweet, my love, I'm sorry 
That you did not tell, 
When you broke the pitcher 
Coming from the well." 

" Oh, I thought you 'd whip me, 
Just as Betty did ; 
Then when she would ask me, 
I would tell a fib." 

" Sweet, my child, I never 
Punish any one 
For an accidental 
2* Thing that may be done. 

" Tell me always, darling, 
Everything you do ; 
This will help to make you 

Thoughtful, brave, and true." 




Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



93 



THE ELEPHANTS. 




The ivory for our combs, 

From elephants' tusks is made ; 
The handles, too, for many a knife, 

And for paper-knives, the blade. 



The elephant knows a friend, — 
And well remembers, too, 

A kindly act, — but ne'er forgets 
The teasing of a foe. 



94 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE WIND. 




~r 



HAT is the wind, Mam- 
ma"? 
" 'Tis air in motion, 
child ; " 
** Why can I never see 
the wind 
That blows so fierce 
and wild ? " 
l< Because the Gases, dear, 

Of which the air is made, 
Are quite transparent, that is, we 
See through, but see no shade." 

ND what are Gases. Ma ? " 

" Fluids, which, if we squeeze 
In space too small, will burst with 
force ; " — 
" And what are fat ids, please ? " 

" Fluids are what will flow, — 

And gases are so light 
That when we give them room enough, 

They rush with eager flight." 




Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



95 




HAT gases, dear Mamma, 

Make up the air or wind ? " 
" 'Tis Oxygen and Nitrogen 

That chiefly there we find ; 
And when the air is full 

Of Oxygen we 're gay, 
But when there is not quite enough, 
We 're dull or faint away." 



THE FOG. 



HAT is the Fog, Mamma ? " 

" Sometimes the air is light 

And cannot bear up all the mists, 
And then 'tis foggy, quite ; 




*r* 



But when air heavier grows, 
The fog is borne above, 
And floated off, the cloudy stuff, — 
Just see it, graceful, move." 



9 6 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 

THE RAIN. 



HAT makes the rain, Mamma ? ' 

" The mists and vapors rise 
From land and stream and roll- 
ing sea, 




Up toward the distant 
skies ; 
And there they form the clouds, 

Which, when they 're watery, dear, 
Pour all the water down to earth, 
And rain afar or near." 

THE SNOW. 

HAT makes the Snow, Mam- 
ma?" 




11 When very cold 
above, 

The mists are frozen high in air, 
And fall as snow, my love." 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



97 



" And Hail ? " " Tis formed the same ; 
Cold streams of air have come 
And frozen all the water-drops, 
And thus the hail-stones form. 




OW do not question more, 

Dear child, but run, and play, — - 
I '11 tell you of the Water, Fire, 
And Light, another day." 
" Oh yes, and, dear Mamma, 

Of Thunder, Lightning, too, 
For I shall want to know it all, 
So tell me, Mama, do." 







98 Mother Trutti s Melodies. 

TRUTH. 

Do not let " Mother Truth " find a falsehood all over, — 
Amongst all her children, no, never a lie ; 

Stand for Truth, ye wee babies, for Truth, ye who 're 
older, 
For Truth while you live, and for Truth till you die. 

All ye myriads of children this little book talks to, 
Form now in each household a band for the Truth ; 

Do not let even a " white lie," and still less a " whopper," 
Find a place in your hearts, nor your heads, nor your 
mouth. 

You know God is Truth ; — and as you are His children, 
You want to be like Him as near as you can ; 

Speak the Truth, live the Truth, be the Truth with Him, 
And Heaven will have come, as Christ taught in his 
plan. 



%M 




IOO 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



HI-DIDDLE, NO-DIDDLE. 




Hl-DIDDLE, HO-DIDDLE, 

Pop-diddle-dee, 
This Earth of ours, on which we live, 
Is round as it can be. 

Pray, then, what is a 

Mountain, valley, hill ? 
They are but like little warts, 
And pores, on orange-peel. 



Hi-diddle, ho-diddle, 

Pop-diddle-dee, — 
Our Earth is swinging in the air, 
As you can plainly see ; — 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Pray, then, what keeps it 

Hanging up in space ? 
The Sun, my child, attracts the Earth 
And holds it in its place. 



IOI 




Hi-diddle, ho-diddle, 
Pop-diddle-dee, — 
A lovely Moon is shining for 
This Earth of ours, you see, — 
Held in its cradle 
Ever since its birth, 
Because our globe attracted it, 
As the Sun attracts the Earth. 

Hi-diddle, ho-diddle, 

Pop-diddle-dee, 
What I mean by globe, child, 
You 're wondering now, I see. 



102 Mother Truttis Melodies. 

A globe or a ball, dear, 

Is what is round and true, 
And that is why I'm calling it, — 
This Earth, — a globe, to you. 

Hi-diddle, ho-diddle, 

Pop-diddle-dee, 
Instead of globe I might have said 
A sphere for you and me ; 

For all the same, in truth, 

Are sphere and globe and ball, 
And hemi 's half — so half this Earth, 
A hemisphere, we call. 

Hi-diddle, ho-diddle, 

Pop-diddle-dee, 
*T was once supposed the Earth stood still, 
While Sun went round it, free ; — 

But now we've learned it well, 

That 't is the earth doth turn 
Upon its Axis, as it 's called ; 
And also round the Sun. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



io; 



Hi-diddle, ho-diddle, 

Pop-diddle-dee, 
Our Earth, in turning round, 
How long may she be ? 




She turns on her axis 
In a day and a night, 
But to go around the Sun 
Takes a year for the flight. 



io4 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



WHAT IS THE AXIS? 



?■-.. ,' 










Now you ask " What is the Axis ? " 

With an apple I will show ; 
Place your thumb upon the stem-place, 

And your finger at the blow ; — 
Now we '11 just suppose the apple 

Has a stem that passes through, 
And this stem would be the Axis ; 

Now we '11 whirl the apple, true, 

Holding fast 'twixt thumb and finger, — 
That 's the way the Earth goes round 

On its Axis, as we call it, 

Though no real stem is found. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 105 

And the two ends of the Axis 

Have been called the Poles, my dear ; 

Yes, the North Pole and the South Pole ; 
Where 'tis very cold and drear. 

Now we '11 hold a bigger apple 

At a distance, for the Sun ; 
Tip the smaller one a little, 

And then slowly wheel it round, 
All around the larger apple, 

And it represents the Earth 
Circling round the Sun that holds it, 

Ceaseless, in its yearly path. 

Wondrous is the strong attraction 

Of the Sun which holds in place, 
All the Planets in their turnings, 

All the Stars that see his face ; 
But more wondrous far the power 

That created Sun and us, 
And that gave a form and being, 

To this mighty Universe. 

" The Universe ! " now you exclaim ; 

" By the Universe, what do you mean ? " 

5* 



106 Mother Truth 's Melodies. 

Tis the Sun and the Planets and everything known, 
That we call by this Universe name. 




Now the " Planets," you ask, 

" What are Planets ?" They 're globes, 
Some larger, some smaller than Earth, — 

Which are swinging in space, 

And are all held in place, 
By the God-power that first gave them birth. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 
OUR LANGUAGE KEY. 



107 




We are small, and we are few, 
But we 're wondrous mighty, too,- 
For no word can language wear, 
Save in it we hold a share. 
One of us in May is met, — 
One is caught in every net ; 
One is in the clambering vine, 
One, in Moon, must ever shine ; 
One 's in you, — and all so shy, 
The last is hiding in your eye. 



io8 Mother Truth's Melodies. 



TWINKLE, TWINKLE. 




" Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 
Up above the world so far, 
Whisper now and tell me, pray, 
What you are, and how you stay." 




" Some of us away so far, 
Planets like your own Earth, are ; 
And we shine with borrowed light, 
Borrowed from the Sun, so bright. 

" Some of us are silvery moons, 
Shining all the nightly noons ; 
Some of us are jelly, soft, 
Shooting, falling, from aloft. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



109 




" Some of us are Nebulae, — 
Faint and misty stars we be ; — 
Some are Suns to other worlds ; 
Here and there a Comet whirls. 





" Having each our time and 

place, 
Swinging in the wondrous 

space ; 
Held in line by Him who 

planned, 
And who holds you in His 

hand." 



no 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



OLD SOL IN A JINGLE. 

Hl-DIDDLE-DIDDLE, 
The Sun 's in the middle, 

And planets around him so grand, 
Are swinging in space, 
Held forever in place, 

In the Zodiac girdle or band. 




MERCURY. 



Hi-diddle-diddle, 

The Sun 's in the middle, 
And Mercury 's next to the Sun ; 

While Venus, so bright, 

Seen at morning or night, - 
Comes Second, to join in the fun. 




VENUS 




EARTH. 



Hi-diddle-diddle, 

The Sun 's in the middle, 
And Third in the group is our 
Earth ; 

While Mars with his fire, 

So warlike and dire, 
Swings around to be counted the Fourth. 




MARS. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



in 




ii2 Mother Truth ' s Melodies. 

Hi-diddle-diddle, 

The Sun 's in the middle, 

While Jupiter 's next after Mars, — 
And his four moons at night 
Show the speed of the light ; 

Next, golden-ringed Saturn appears. 




JUPITER. SATURN. 

Hi-diddle-diddle, 

The Sun 's in the middle, 
After Saturn comes Uranus far ; — 

And his antics, so queer, 

Led Astronomers near 
To old Neptune, who drives the last car.* 

n a 



URANUS. 



NEPTUNE. 



Other planets are as yet too little known to claim place. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



ii3 



"ROBERT OF LINCOLN:' 




Bob-0-LINK, bob-o-link, reed-bird, butter-bird, 
All through the country his jingle is gayly heard ; 
Revelling in rice -fields he sweeps through the South, 
While wheat, corn, and barley-fields welcome him North. 
And Bobby is wild with his singing and chatter, 
So saucily calling with rattle and clatter, 
Bob-o-link, bob-o-link, Tom-denny, Tom-denny, 
Come-now-and-pay-me-that-two-shillings-one-penny, — 
No,-ril-not-wait-for-a-day-nor-a-minute, 
So-pay-me-up-quick-or-you '11-get-your-foot-in-it ; — 
Chink-a-chee, chink-a-chee, chink-a-chee, chin-it, 
Yes,-pay-me-up-quick,-or-you '11-get-your-foot-in-it. " 



H4 Mother Tr ut lis Melodies. 

LIMP Y-DIMP Y- DINGLE. 




LIMPY-DIMPY-DINGLE, chicky-bid would stray 

To the trap that had been set for weasels, many a day. 

Limpy-dimpy-dingle, chicky-bid walked in, 

And the trap, its teeth shut up, on chicky- biddy's shin. 

Limpy-dimpy-dingle, chicky-bid is brought, 

And her leg, so sore and big, we bathe with water hot. 

Limpy-dimpy-dingle, here's a broken bone, 
All so rough, — but close enough, we bring the ends, 
right soon. 



Mother Truth ' s Melodies. 



i*5 



Limpy-dimpy-dingle, strips of paste-board cut, 
We will place with care and grace, from thigh to trem- 
bling foot. 

Limpy-dimpy-dingle, softest cotton, too, 

Just within the paste-board thin, to fit around so true. 




Limpy-dimpy-dingle, now with tape or band, 
Neatly wind, and closely bind, with deft and skilful 
hand. 



Limpy-dimpy-dingle, nature '11 do the rest, 

And soon will knit the bone to fit, as good as very best. 



n6 Mother Truth's Melodies, 

THE RATTLE OF THE BONES. 



OW many bones in the human face ? 
FOURTEEN, when they 're all in place. 




How many bones in the human head ? 
EIGHT, my child, as I 've often said. 

How many bones in the human ear ? 
Three * in each; and they help to hear. 

How many bones in the human spine ? 
Twenty-six ; like a climbing vine. 

How many bones of the human chest ? 
Twenty-four ribs; and two of the rest. 

How many bones, the shoulders, bind ? 
Two in each ; one before, one behind. 

How many bones in the human arm ? 
In each arm, ONE ; TWO in each fore-arm. 

* Standard authorities give three, though latest works say four. 



s/£^ 




n8 Mother TrutJts Melodies. 

How many bones in the human wrist ? 
EIGHT in each, if none are missed. 




How many bones in the palm of the hand ? 
Five in each, with many a band. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

How many bones in the fingers ten ? 
Twenty-eight, and by joints they bend. 



119 




How many bones in the human hip ? 
ONE in each ; — like a dish they dip. 

iJp How many bones in the human 
thigh ? 
ONE in each, — and deep they lie. 

How many bones in the human knees ? 
ONE in each, — the knee-pan, please. 

How many bones in the leg from the 

knee ? 
Two in each y — we can plainly see. 

How many bones in the ankle strong ? 
Seven in each y — but none are long. 



120 Mother Truth's Melodies, 

How many bones in the ball of the foot ? 
FIVE in each / as in hands were put. 

How many bones in the toes half-a-score ? 
Twenty-eight, — and there are no more. 

And now, all together, these many bones, fix, 

And they count in the body TWO HUNDRED and SIX. 

And then we have, in the human mouth, 
Of upper and under, thirty-two teeth. 

And we now and then have a bone, I should think, 
That forms on a joint, or to fill up a chink, — 

A Sesamoid bone, or a Wormian, we call, 
And now we may rest, for we 've told them all. 




Mother Trtittis Melodies. 



121 



WHOLL Y HOLE- Y. 




Seven million little openings, 
God has made upon your skin ; 

Mouths of tiny little sewers 
That run everywhere, within. 

And along these numerous sewers 
All impurities must go, 

That are not by other outlets, 

Carried off with active flow. 
6 



122 Mother Truth's Melodies, 

When these many little openings, 

We call PORES, get shut quite close, 
Through your frame the poison wanders, 

Making you feel dull and cross. 
It will make your lungs grow tender, 

And they '11 soon be sore, and cough ; 
It will make your stomach feeble, 

And your head ache hard enough. 

Then your heart can not be joyous, 

And your other organs, too, 
Will get weak, and be unable 

For the work they ought to do ; 
Quaking nerves will groan and quiver, 

Weary bones be racked with pain, 
And you '11 all the time be saying : . 

" How can I be well again ? " 

HEAT and BATHING widely opens 

All the pores, when discords dire, 
Quick flow out in perspiration, 

Quenching all the fever-fire. 
Ravelling out the tangled tissues, 

Setting free the life-blood's flow, 
Pouring forth the pent-up poisons, 

Wakening thus a healthful glow. 



124 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE BREATH 0* LIFE. 



Our lungs are formed of curious 
cells, 
And tubes to draw in air, — 

And if we breathe quite 
deep and full 
And take our needful 
share, 
'T will keep our blood so 
red and pure, 
Our health so firm 
and true, 

We scarce shall know what suffering means, 
But joyous feel, and new. 

But if we wear our clothing tight, 

The little cells will close, 
And then they cannot do their work, 

And thus our health we lose ; — 
Or if we breathe the air impure, 

*T will give us tainted blood, 
While plenty, pure, sun-ripened air 

Will make us glad and good. 




Mother Truth's Melodies, 



125 




CURIOUS TREES. 

THE COW-TREE. 

South America's soil 

Yields the towering Cow- 
tree, 
With sweet milk in its cells 

For you or for me ; 
Its sap is the Milk,— 

Cut the tree and it flows ; 
Like leather its leaves, 
; And its branches like bows. 



126 Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE SUGAR-PINE. 



Then, too, my dear children, 

The sweet Sugar-pine, 
On Pacific's wild coast, 

In our own soil we find ; 
Cut or scoop out the trunk, 

And the juices ooze forth, 
And harden, for sugar, 

Like icicles, North. 



THE BUTTER-TREE. 

And, funny enough, 

There's a Butter-tree, too ; 
Its seeds, when boiled down, 

Will make butter for you. 
In India and Afric 

The Butter-tree grows, 
With coffee and spices, 

As every one knows. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



127 



THE BREAD-FRUIT TREE. 




And listen, dear children, 

In hot countries too, 
The Bread-fruit tree grows, 

Most delicious for you ; 
Its great roasted nuts, 

Like soft, sweet loaves of bread, 
Form most of the food 

On which natives are fed. 



128 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



And further, its fibres 

Of bark, will make cloth ; 
Its wood, boats and houses ;- 

Its leaves are not loath 
To be used for a towel, 

A table-cloth, napkin ; 
Its juice will make bird-lime, 

And tinder, its catkin. 




THE CLOVE-TREE. 



And, children, one more, 

Here's a spicy Clove-tree, 
Growing forty feet high, 

Ornamental, you see ; 
The little round drop, 

Fixed the four prongs be- 
tween, 
Forms the blossom or flower, 

When it's not picked too 
green. 

Now list, while I tell you, — 
Clove-trees will not grow 

Except in hot climates, 
Moluccas, or so, 



Mother Trut/is Melodies. 

Where they bloom the year round, 

In the sunshine or storm, 
With their trunks straight and smooth, 

And their pyramid form. 

And lastly, dear children, 

Clove-trees never flower 
Till a half-dozen years 

They have grown, maybe more ; 
Then the buds, picked by hand, 

And dried quickly, are best ; — 
Trees a hundred years old 

Often yield with the rest. 



129 




13° 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



NO EYES. 




THOSE Creatures that live in the dark, 

And have no use for eyes, 
Are made without these organs bright, 

Which we so highly prize. 



The fish in the Mammoth cave, — 

Some species of the Ant, — 
Have only a trace where eyes should be, 

Yet never know the want. 



Mother Trutti s Melodies, 

Who knows but girls and boys, 
Kept always in the dark, 

Might come to have but little sight, 
And finally not a spark. 



131 




God meant us to live in the light 
He has poured it all about ; 

Oh, let us not ourselves destroy. 
By shutting His sunshine out. 




132 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 




" What is the Mammoth Cave ? " 
I hear the children say, 
Where fishes have no eyes nor sight, 
And where 'tis dark by day ? 

You all have seen a ledge 

Of big rocks piled, or stone ? — 

Now just suppose a door-way made, 
Or entrance to go in. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 133 

And when you 're in, a path 

Leads on, right under ground, 
And by-and-by you come to a place 

Like a room with walls around. 

Tis jagged and rough and rude, 

'Tis dark and damp as a grave, 
But whether 'tis large or small. 

'Tis always called a cave. 

Now, Mammoth means monstrous big, 
And the Mammoth Cave, we claim — 

As the largest known in the world, 
And that 's what gives the name. 

And it has many a room, 

Quite large and wondrous grand, 
And it has springs and streams and lakes, 

All dark, you understand. 

And here are fishes, too, 

Yes, fishes with no eyes, 
That have lived in the dark for ages past, 

As learned men surmise. 



134 Mother Trut/is Melodies. 

THE CAMELS. 

The Camels live in desert lands ; 
Their feet are made to walk on sands ; 
They carry burdens far and near, 
Where neither grass nor trees appear ; 

Where there 's no rain, no rivers, brooks, 
No water anywhere for folks ; — 
But God has made in Camels' chest, 
Peculiar sacs, for He knew best 

What they must do, and that they 'd die, 
If He did not their drink supply. 
Before they start they drink and drink, 
Till every sac is full I think, — 

And at the mouth of every sac, 
A muscle strong, but loose and slack, 
Will tighten up when it is filled, 
So that no drink can e'er be spilled. 

And when on journey, last or first, 
The camel wants to slake his thirst, 
A bag-string loosens, and out-pours 
Enough to satisfy for hours. 



136 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 

The laden camels, in a row, 

Are called a Caravan, you know ; — 

Sometimes a caravan is lost, 

Being buried deep in sand and dust. 




A storm of wind, a Simoon named, 
Will sweep across the desert sand, 
When camels, men, and every one 
Must throw themselves their knees upon, 

And bury faces in the earth, 
For thus alone they save their breath ; 
A fearful thing, but 'tis the best 
That they can do, — now hear the rest. 



Mother Truth? s Melodies. 

Sometimes they 're buried deep, and find 
When they dig out they 're almost blind 
And cannot tell which way to go, 
And thus are lost, — a serious woe ! 




Sometimes, when lost, the drink for men 
Gets short ; is gone ; they thirst, and then 



*37 




They kill a camel just for lack 
Of what he carries in his sac. 



Mother Truttis Melodies, 

In deserts bare and bleak and drear, 
The sun shines hot through all the year, 
But many an Oasis is found, 
Or spot where grass and trees abound. 




And here is drink, and here they rest, 
And take their fill of what is best ; 
Then travel on in thankful mood, 
With song and shout ! ":>Mli1i is good ! " 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



139 



KEY-NOTES, 




Lightly flowing liquids, we,- 

Tethered with our brothers, 
Make we music, melody, 

More than all the others ; — 
Lulling, mellowy, nimble, rare, 

Revelling in rhythm, 
Running here and everywhere, 

Make we merry with 'em. 



140 Mother Truth 7 s Melodies. 

THE BEARS. 

Wild bears are found all over, 
From Northern lands to South, 

But largest, strongest, where 'tis cold, 
And fiercest, farthest North. 

All bears are fond of honey, 

Of berries, too, and roots ; 
They hug or squeeze their prey to death. 

As this their nature suits. 

They mate in June-y weather : 

Their little ones are cubs ; 
They sadly mourn when mates are killed, 

You'd almost hear their sobs. 

They'll try to feed a cub 

That's lying cold and dead, 
And will not flee, but stand and take 

The fatal knife instead. 



142 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

They sleep through winter-time, — 
But prowl in wildest storms, 

With hope to find some creature killed, 
Or struck with death's alarms. 



t^Lsl 




The bears are white, or black, 
Or brown, or grizzly gray, — 

The white, 'mong polar snows are found, 
Where half the year is day. 

Their fur is used for robes, 

For coats, sometimes a muff; — 

Their meat is prized by some as food, 
While some would call it " stuff." 



Mother Triitti s Melodies. 

They nimbly climb a tree, 

But " back down," — for their frame 
Is made so lungs would forward press, 

If they, head-foremost, came. 



1 43 



THE BEAR A BLESSING. 




To people of Kamtschatka, 
The bear a blessing proves ; 

His skin forms beds and coverlets, 
And bonnets, shoes, and gloves. 

His flesh and fat are dainties, 

And of his intestine, 
Is made a mask for warding off 

The glare of Sun in Spring. 



144 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

'Tis also used for windows, 
As substitute for glass ; — 

Of shoulder-blade a tool is made, 
That's used for cutting grass. 



Uj^M&MM. 




Norwegians think the Bear is 

More sensible than men ; 
While Laplands call him " Dog of God," 

And dare not him offend. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



H5 




The fruits of the orchard and garden 
Are beautiful, luscious, and good, — 

Partake of them freely, dear children, 
But eat them at meals with your food. 
7 



146 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE RACCOON. 




Come, child, and see our pet Raccoon, — 
The Raccoons live in the woods, you know, 
But ours was caught, 
And caged, and brought 
From old Virginia, long ago. 




Mother Truth y s Melodies, 

Oh, no, you need not be afraid, 

See, he is fastened with a chain ; 

For ropes enough, 

He has gnawed off, 

And he is hard to catch again. 



147 




He e'en will climb this ten- 
foot fence, 
And, careless where his feet may 
strike, 

He tumbles, bang ! 
And there will hang, 
It His rope being caught by vine or 
spike. 

And once the rascal ran 

away ; 
Was gone for days, and 
maybe weeks ; 
When children came, 
And charging blame, 
Said, " Your Raccoon has caught our 
chicks. 




148 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




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Mother Truth's Melodies. 149 

So now he 's chained ; yet up he '11 climb 
The stake to which he *s fastened tight, 

And mutter low, 

So pleading, Oh ! 
'T would make you sorry for him, quite. 

Just see his nose, so pointed, sharp, — 
His ears as keen as keen can be, — 

His eyes so bright, 

So full of light, 
And see him leap right merrily ! 

His fur, you see, is yellowish gray, — 
And he is nearly two feet long ; 

He lives on roots, 

And nuts and fruits, 
When he 's his native woods among. 

But here we give him bread and milk ; 
He never eats like dogs or lambs, 

But takes it up 

From out the cup 
With his fore-foot, as we use hands. 



i5o 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



You 'd laugh to see him, I am sure ; 
Of strawberries, too, he 's very fond ; 

Will poke around 

Till he has found 
Each one among the hulls out-thrown. 

Then, too, he 's fond of 

nice clean clothes, — 
Will spring for sheets hung 
out to dry ; 

And children dressed 
In very best, 
Are sure to please his 
dainty eye. 

No matter where his feet 

have been, 
He '11 spring and plant 
them, little pest, 
On something white, 
And then will fight 
To hold, and hide it in his nest. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



151 




You 've " come again to see our Coon" ? 
Well, he is gone ; he plagued us so, 

We sent the " Rac" 

To Central Park, 
Where you can see him when you go. 

Oh yes, they 're glad to get him, there ; 
They have no clothes hung out to 
dry; 

And children aye 

Must stand away, 
For there a keeper 's always nigh. 



A "Yes" and "No" are common, hard, 
But " yes'm," " no-sir," choice ;— 

Let none but sweet and gentle words 
Flow from your gift of voice. 



152 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE BANKS WALLO WS. 




In a village of Bank-Swallows, 
You will find so many a nest, 

That you scarce can tell their number, 
Nor which one of them is best. 



Mother TrutJis Melodies. 153 

In the sand-hill, see the openings, 
Round or oval, odd-shaped, some, 

Size and form depending often, 
On how loose the sand become 



When with their short bills they pecked it,- 
Clinging fast with claws the while, — 

Till they made an open door-way, 
Suiting them in size and style. 

Once within, they peck and peck it, 
Sometimes quite a yard or more, — ■ 

While the nest is snugly builded, 
Farthest from the outer door. 

But, so wise are they, this archway 
From the entrance to the nest, 

Is inclining ever upward, 

That no rain within may rest. 

So the pink-white eggs are laid there, 
Safe from harm, till baby-birds 

Chirrup forth to take their places 
'Mongst the self-sustaining herds. 
7* " 



154 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Smallest of the swallow species, 
Homeliest, too, yet favorites dear, 

For their graceful, airy movements, 
And their simple, social cheer. 



Found are they from North to South-land, 
Known of every tribe and race ; — 

Swift in flight, yet swinging, swaying, 
Skimming low from place to place. 

Parent-birds care less for young ones, 
Than do other swallow-kind ; — 

Push them off half-fledged and timid, 
Each his food and home to find. 

Thus they, many a time, fall prey to 
Hawks and crows, — their enemies ; — 

Even the nest sometimes is entered 
By the snakes and fleas and flies. 

Swallows migrate in the Winter, 
From the cold, to warmer climes, — 

Flying back as Spring approaches, 
To the haunts of former times. 



Mother Trutlis Melodies. 



155 




" Ne'er one swallow makes a Summer,' 

Is a saying everywhere ; — 
But when swallows come in myriads, 

Blessed Summer-time is here. 




i5« 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE MOCKING-BIRD. 




The New World boasts the Mocking-bird ; 

And whether caged or free, 
His wondrous voice pours forth in songs 

Of rarest melody. 



His notes swell out, and die away, 

As if a joyous soul 
Were wrought to highest ecstasy, 

All music to control. 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 

His native notes are bold and full, 

And then he '11 imitate, 
Till it would seem the feathered tribe 

Were all arrayed in state. 

L 1 1 JU\ \ 



i57 




He'll whistle for the dog or cat, — 
Will squeak like chicken, hurt, — 

And cluck and crow and bark and mew, 
So comical and curt. 

While blue-birds warble, swallows scream, 

Or hens will cackle clear, — 
In robin's song, the whip-poor-will 

Pours forth his plaint so near. 



158 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



Canaries, hang-birds, nightingales, 
He echoes loud and long ; 

While they stand silent, mortified, 
He triumphs' in his song. 



THE BUSY BEES 




WHY do the little busy bees 
So dearly love their queen, 

And wait upon, and pay respect. 
With watchful care and mien ? 






Mother Truth's Melodies. 159 



Because the queen lays all the eggs, 
And mothers all the young, 

While every father - bee that 's 
hatched 
Is nothing but a drone. 



The working-bees might all be queens, 

If cared for and well-fed 
When they are in the larvae state, 

But they're half-starved instead, — 



While those intended for young queens 

Are fattened overmuch, 
And nursed and petted every hour, 

That they full growth may reach. 

For every different kind of egg 
That makes the different bees, 

A different kind of cell is made, 
The queen directing these. 

For drones or males, six-sided cells, 
Quite neat, and smooth, and nice ; 

For working-bees a smaller cell, 
Uncouth, and rough, and coarse ; 



160 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

While those for queens are large and free, 
And fashioned fine with care, 

And lined with softest silken shreds, 
So daintily they fare. 




The queen-bee lays the worker-eggs, 

A dozen days, I ween, 
And then the drones, as many more, 

Then workers, then the queen. 

Eggs, two or three, and sometimes four 

Are laid in worker-cell ; 
While drones and queens have each but one, 

As oft is proven well. 

The bluish eggs so close and warm, 
Hatch out with three days passed ; 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



161 



When larvae, white, as little worms, 
Are watched and fed and nursed. 

These larvae, when some six days old, 
Close in their cells are shut, 

And there at once begin to weave 
A silken web about. 




They turn and twist till all around 
Themselves 'tis woven quite, 

And then they rest for twenty days, 
'Tis such a pretty sight, 

The small cocoons of working- 
bees, 
The larger ones of drones, 

The large and plump and per- 
fect ones 

Of all the coming queens. 




l62 



Mother Trutlis Melodies. 



In twenty days they now burst forth, 

Equipped from tip to toe, 
The working-bees and drones, I mean, 

For queens come forth more slow. 







4r 



<& ^fe. 



-*$z 



"S&. 




The queen cocoons ope from 
behind, 
And I will tell you why, 
'Tis that the reigning queen 
may sting 
The others till they die 



If mother-queen leads off a 

swarm, 

A young queen they release, 

And she may take another 

swarm, 

And leave the hive in peace. 

Another queen is then let 
out, 

Perhaps a third and fourth, 
As many as can raise a swarm, 

To follow them, not loath ; 



Mother Truth ' s Melodies. 163 

But when no more can swarm and go, 

Because not bees enough, 
As I have said, the reigning queen 

Stings all the rest to death. 

For in each hive and everywhere, 

One queen alone will reign, 
And any interloper meets 

With sure and sharp disdain. 

Of workers, some are strong to fly, 

While some are weak and small, 
Unfitted quite, for load or flight, 

Or outside work at all. 



These last complete the larvae-cells, 
And nurse and feed the young ; 

They mix the bee-bread, cleanse the hive, 
And care for every drone. 

All bees have stings except the drones, 
And these, when Autumn nears, 

Are stung to death with furious wrath, 
As by the book appears. 



164 



Mother Truttis Melodies, 



And now I hope you children all, 
Will use your wondrous power 

To " gather honey all the day, 
From every opening flower." 




Mother Truth's Melodies, 



165 




BBB R YYY 

B U YY* 



* Bees are wise ; 
Be you wise. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 167 

HONEY-SWEET. 

" Ah, but how do bees make honey ? " 
Now the children, eager, ask ; 
And we '11 try to give them answer, 
If we 're able for the task. 

See, the under-lip is lengthened, 

Like a trunk or proboscis, 
Ending by a kind of button, 

Fringed with tiny, moving hairs. 

All along its length, too, fringes, 
Just the same, are growing forth ; 

And by means of these, the honey 
Is conveyed from flowers to mouth. 

Then the bee has two small stomachs, 

In the first of which is stored 
All the honey it can gather, 

But, when home, 'tis quick out-poured. 



1 68 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Bees have six legs ; and in hindmost, 
There are baskets found, or bags, 

Into which the pollen gathered, 
Is brushed off by the other legs. 

And this pollen, for the bee- bread 
And as food for young, they use, 

Mixed with honey and with water, — 
Swallowed and disgorged like juice 




By the nurses, who digest it 
Partly, for the larvae-food, 

Taking care that each shall have it, 
Just according to the brood. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Now we '11 watch and see them working ; 

See them brush off pollen-dust ; 
See them, too, disgorge the honey, 

Into cells the sweetness thrust. 



169 




Children, with your useful fingers, 

Hands and arms and feet and head, 
Do not let the bees surpass you, 

Making honey, nay, nor bread. 

8 



170 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



WHAT THEY SAY. 




Those creatures that chew the cud, 
The " Ruminants " we call, 

From " Rumen," or the stomach-pouch, 
In which their food doth fall. 

A "Species" is a kind 

Of animals or plants ; — 
Each species has a different name, 

And differing; traits and wants. — 



And species may unite 
To form a Race we know, 

For race from root is always drawn, 
And roots must spread and grow. 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



171 




That men and women are 

The race most choice and fine, 

We plainly see, and sometimes call, 
The Human Race, Divine. 



172 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




The noble Horse neighs out, 
" I am the race Equine, 
(rv And nearest seem, and dear- 
est to 
#tyZ The ' human race, divine.' " 



The Ox and Cow l-o-o, l-o-o, 
' ' We are the race Bovine ; 

And we most useful are, unto 
The ' human race, divine.' ' 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



173 




The Ass and Mule bray out, 
" Our race is Assinine, 

And very like us seem some of 
The ' human race, divine.' " 




The Dog bow-wows as race 
Canine, CaJiine, Canine ; — 



174 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




While Tigers, Cats and Catamounts, 
G-r-o-w-1, growl, as race Feline. 




The Lion, king of beasts 

(Feline), roars "Leonine" ; — 

The Lamb that's to lie down with Him, 
Ba-a, ba-as for race Ovine. 



Mother Trutti s Melodies. 



175 



Fishes in lakes or seas 

Or rivers sport Piscine ; '** 



Wm^. 






While birds in air, or cages close, 
Sing " race Avine, Avine." 



^&*^ 




All bees in hives or wild. 
Hum out the race Apine ; 



7- <3^ „ 



176 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

And reptiles all rejoicing crawl 
In race, Reptilian. 





I've a name that 's made up of three letters alone, — 
That reads backwards and forwards the same ; 

I speak without sound, — yes, I talk without tongue, 
And to beauty I lay the first claim. 



A word of three syllables, children, now find, 
That holds the whole twenty-six letters combined.* 

The B ing m t, John put some : f 

stand take to taking 



you 



throw 



my 



••t 



* Alphabet. 

f The grate being empty, John put some coal on. 

% I understand you undertake to overthrow my undertaking. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



177 



BRITAIN'S RULERS. 




Old Britain was under the Romans 

From fifty-five years before Christ, (55 B. C.) 

To four hundred fifty-five (455) A. D. 

When the Octarchy, eight states were spliced. 

8* 



178 Mother Truth 's Melodies. 

For three hundred and seventy-two cycles, 

This Octarchy, changing about, 
Was ruled now by this one, now that one, 

As each might, the former king, rout. 

But ever since eight-twenty-seven (827), 
Britain's rulers have reigned by descent, 

From Egbert, first " Monarch of England," 
To Victoria, daughter of Kent. 

A score reigned and fell. — Second Harold 

In ten-sixty-six (1066), proud, usurps, 
But soon in fierce battle is conquered 

By William of Normandy's troops. 

Then came William the Conqueror, a Norman, 

Then William the Second, his son ; 
Then Henry and Stephen and Henry, 

Then Richard (Cceur de Lion), and John. 

Next Henry the Third, and First Edward, 
Edward Second and Third, Richard, two (II), 

Henrys Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth, and Fourth Edward, 
Fifth Edward, — Third Richard, they rue. 

Henry Seventh and Eighth, and Sixth Edward, 
Then Mary, Bess, James, and Charles First, — 

Eleven years then with no monarch ; 

Second Charles, Second James, not the worst. 



Mother TrutJis Melodies. 

Then William and Mary, then Anne, 
Four Georges, Fourth William, until 

Came Victoria, long live her queenship, 
For she wields her proud sceptre with skill. 



179 




i8o 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC. 




The annual path of the Sun, 

The Ecliptic is called, as we see, — 

And a belt, eight degrees (8°), on each side, 
The Zodiac ever will be. 

The principal planets all seem 

To move in the zodiac lines, 
While the belt, of itself, is cut up 

Into twelve equal parts, called the Signs. 



And these signs were first named, we are told, 
From their fancied resemblance to beasts, 

Which astronomers thought they could see 
In the stars, from the West to the East. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



181 




There is Aries, the Ram, 
—then the Bull, 

Which is Taurus, — then 
Gemini, Twins ; — 

Then Cancer, a Crab, — 
and then Leo, 
A Lion, — and Virgo, Vir- 
gin. 




Next Libra, the Bal- 



And Scorpio, a Scor- 



Sagittarius, the Ar 



Capricornus, a Goat's 




ance or Scales, 



pion (with sting), - 



cher or Arrow, 



horn, we bring. 



182 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



Aquarius, the Bearer 



And Pisces, or Fish 




of Water, — 



rom the sea,- 



All together make twelve, — and a wonder 
It is, that these fancies should be. 




Mother Trut/is Melodies. 183 

LITTLE MISCHIEF. 

LITTLE Master Mischief 

Lives in Nellie's eye, 
Sitting in the corner, 

Peeping out so sly ; 
Now he's crossed the snow-ground 

And in chamber blue, 
Thinking he is hidden, 

Peek-a-boos at you. 

Now he drops the curtain, 

Sure that he is hid, 
But you see him dancing 

Even on the lid. 
Now, the curtain lifting, 

You can see he's crept 
To the inner chamber, 

Where the love-light slept. 

Watching now his moment 

He pops out, and see 
Mama's spools and thimble 

Quickly disagree. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 185 

Shall we punish Mischief? 

Better teach the child 
How to hold and lead him, 

Running now so wild. 



Would she like her playthings 

Scattered here and there, 
When she had arranged them ? 

Would she think it fair ? 
Would she like her puzzle 

Portions of it, lost ? 
Would she like her dishes 

Everywhere uptossed ? 
Would she like her apron 

With a missing string, 
Mama hunting, meanwhile, 

Thread and everything? 

Nellie, learn the lesson : 

Be to others true, — 
Always do as you would 

Have them do to you. 



1 86 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 




This the dear Lord's precept,- 
This the Golden Rule, — 

This the highest lesson 
In our Nellie's school. 




gentle and loving, — 
Be kind and polite ; 

Be thoughtful for others, 
Be sure and do right. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 187 

GRANDMAS CANARY. 




Grandma loves her birdy, 
And when he gayly sings, 

She will laugh and chat with him, 
At which he hops and springs. 

Fearing though that birdy 

Might not understand, 
Grandma from the toy-shop, 

Brought a whistle grand. 

Tuning now the whistle, 
To his sweet bird-note, 

He in singing back to her, 
Nearly burst his throat. 



1 88 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



Birdy, free outflying, 
Often comes to light 

On Grandma's tip-of-finger, 
Or chair- back, pretty 
sight ! 

From her hand she feeds 
him, 

And he oft will take 
From her mouth the sugar, 

With a merry shake. 

Yester-morn the window 
Being open wide, 

Birdy thought it brighter 
On the outer side. 

Grandma mourning sadly, 
Shed of tears a few, 

Then she prayed the Father, 
" Show me what to do." 

Soon she set his cage out 
On the window-sill, 
Saying " Birdy '11 come now, 
Oh, I'm sure he will ! " 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 189 

Then she, hopeful, praying 

" Bring my birdy home," 
Took the sweet bird-whistle, 

Playing " Birdy, come." 

And the birdy hearing, 

Quickly came and lit 
On the cage, and shortly 

Flitted into it. 

Thankful now was Grandma, 

To the dear Lord, who, 
Listening to her prayer, 

Taught her what to do. 



190 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



HANDSOME DICK. 




Elzie's kitty, white as snow, 
Loves his little mistress so, 
That he '11 come at her command, 
Lift his paw to shake her hand, 
Bow his head and kneel to her, 
Rumpling all his milk-white fur ; — 
Many another pretty trick, 
Too, he 's learned, our Elzie's Dick. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 191 

Well, the Church-Fair coming on, 
Elzie thought, " What can be done 
By a little girl like me, 
In the cause of charity ? " 



Mam'a told her she would show 
Her some fancy work to do, 
Which a half-a-dozen dimes 
Sure would bring ; — so, many times 
Elzie made her fingers fly 
Neat and nice to form the " tie." 
Now our Elzie, large and fine, 
Looks like twelve, though only nine — 
And the " tie " when quite complete, 
Was so small, though choice and neat, 
That it could not be denied, 
Elzie was not satisfied. 
So she shook her curly head, 
As with curious smile she said : 
" If I were a little girl, 

Like Nannette or Cousin Pearl, 
This wee ' tie ' might then appear 
Just the thing,— but now, I fear, 
Looking at the ' tie ' and me, 
We shall seem to disagree. — 



192 



Mother Trutlis Melodies. 



Now, Mamma, don't answer quick ; 

Stop and think, — my snowy Dick, 

At the Fair might win some pence, 

By his wise obedience 

And his pretty winsome ways 
Being shown through all the 

days ; — 
And, dear Mama, then I should 
Feel I'd done the best I could." 

Quickly Mama took the thought, 
And a royal cage was brought ; 
Cushion made of scarlet bright, — 
For our Dicky, pure and white, 
Thus was wont to perch and 

sit, — 
And a collar blue we fit 
To his neck, when loyal, true, 
He presents red, white, and 

blue. 

Soon the cage is placed within 
A sly corner, free from din, 
And with tickets, five cents each, 
Elzie sought her end to reach. 




Mother Truth's Melodies. 



193 



" Handsome Dick ! weight fifteen pounds" — 
Whispers Elzie, on her rounds ; 
" What is ' Handsome Dick ' ? " they say ; 
" Come and see, please, — step this way ; " 




And once seen they 're glad to tell 
Others of white Dick, as well ; — 
For the cat, as knowing now 
He must make his courtliest bow, 
Did his best to help along 
Elzie's plan, the friends among. 



194 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

Upon his cushion he would stand, 

Or sit, as Elzie might command ; 

Then down upon his blanket lie 

And be wrapped up like baby-bye ; 

Would lap his milk, or dainty, sip, 

And shake his pretty under-lip, 

Thus showing teeth as white as pearl, — 

Then round and round would quickly whirl, 

Till each one seeing, cheerful, said : 

" For that five cents, I'm sure we 're paid." 

Thus the three days passing by, 
Which the Fair must occupy — 
Dollars ten — ah, yes ! and more, 
Elzie holds within her store ! 
Dues for cage and tickets met, 
And the ten is Elzie's yet, — 
Which unto the Fair she gave 
With an air so joyful-grave, 
That it seemed a spirit bright, 
Nestled in her heart so light ; — 
And a happier child than she, 
We may never hope to see. 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 195 



THE DINNER-POT. 
ft* a # $ „ 




The homeliest things are highest worth, 

The dinner-pot 's a treasure 
Compared with diamonds, chains, and rings, 

Which serve alone for pleasure ; — 
Enwreathe the dinner-pot with flame, 

And fill it with love's mixings, 
And it possesses charms beyond 

All gold or fancy fixings. 

And then, our bony frame-work, too, 

So stiff and hard and homely, 
Will serve when plumpness all is gone, 

And lost is all that 's comely. 
Fling beauty, grace, and sweetness round, 

Festoon your lives with flowers, 
But ne'er forget that plainest things 

Are life's most precious dowers. 



196 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



DARE TO SA Y NO. 




DEAR children, you are sometimes led 
To sorrow, sin, and woe, 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 197 

Because you have not courage quite, 
And dare not answer, No. 

When playmates tell you this, or that 

Is " very nice to do," 
See first what mama says, or if 

You think 'tis wrong, say No. 

Be always gentle, but be firm, 

And wheresoe'er you go, 
If you are asked to do what's wrong, 

Don't fear to answer, No. 

False friends may laugh and sneer at you, — 

Temptations round you flow, 
But prove yourself right brave and true, 

And firmly tell them, No. 

Sometimes a thing that's not a sin, 

You may be asked to do, — 
But when you think it is not best, 

Don't yield, but answer, No. 

True friends will honor you the more, 

Ah, yes, and false ones too, 
When they have learned you're not afraid 

To stand and answer, No. 



198 Mother Truttis Melodies. 

And when temptations rise within, 
And plead to " come," or " go," 

And do a wrong for "just this once" 
Be sure you answer, No. 

For when you once have done a Wrong, 
The Right receives a blow, — 

And Wrong will triumph easier now, 
So haste and answer, No. 

There's many a little boy and girl, 

And man and woman too, 
Have gone to ruin and to death 

For want of saying, No ! 

So, young or old, or great or small, 
Don't fail, whate'er you do, 

To stand for Right, and nobly dare 
To speak an honest No. 




]\IotJier Trutli s Melodies. 



199 



ASK MOTHER. 

Yes my darling, when you question, 
I will answer, simple, plain, 
Just the Truth ; — and when a 
playmate 
Tells you anything again, 
Come to Mother, she will tell 
you, 
Yes, and tell you always 

true, 
For she knows what 's 

low and sinful, 

And what 's right and 

wrong for you. 



TELL MOTHER. 

'TlS wrong, my dear, to do a thing 

That mother must not know ; — 
And when your playmates, old or young, 

Shall tell you thus to do, 
Leave them at once, and quickly come 

To your dear Mother's side, 
And tell her, — for she '11 know what 's wrong, 

And she will be your guide. 




200 



Mother Trtittis Melodies. 



DON' T TELL A LIE. 




DON'T tell a lie, dear children, 
No matter what you do, — 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 201 

Own up, and be a hero, 

Right honest, brave, and true. 

You 'd better have a whipping 

Each day than tell a lie, — 
No, not a " white one," even, 

They lead to blackest dye. 

The rod but hurts your body, 

While lies deform your soul ; — 
Don't mind the present smarting, 

Keep the spirit pure and whole. 

But I am sure that mama 

And papa, too, will try 
To help you children tell the Truth, 

Nor drive you to a lie. 

They will not punish harshly, 

Nor when they 're angry, quite ; 
Nor promise, and then fail to do, — 

But always lead you right. 
9* 



202 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE CHILDREN'S RAILROAD. 

Old Time has built a Railroad, 

On which you children speed 
To a land of light and plenty, 

Or a land of darksome need ; 
And soon you '11 come to a meadow, 

Where two tracks mark the way, 
But they '11 run close up alongside 

For many and many a day. 

And one is strewn with 
roses, 
While one looks bleak 
and bare, 
With now and then a ber- 
ry-bush, 
And a violet here and 
there ; — 

L 




Mother Truttis Melodies. 

On one you '11 find companions 
Who but for pleasure seek, 

While friends along the other, 
Will words of wisdom speak. 




Be careful in your choosing. 

For if you take the Right, 
You will travel in the shadow 

Of the Rock that shields at night ; 
'T will lead through greenest pastures, 

Where softest brooklets flow, 
And land you at a Station 

That is full of cheer and glow, 



204 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

On the other track, the roses 

Are backed by sharpest thorns ; 
While berries, always nourish, 

And the violet but adorns ; — 
You will stumble into sluices, 

And what is worse than all, 
Your self-respect and conscience 

Grow weak with every fall. 

Yes, if you choose the other, 

That looks so bright and gay, 
You '11 find the bridges broken, 

And the road-bed washed away ; 
And when you near the Station, 

You '11 switch to a fearful leap, 
That will hurl you into darkness, 

And bury you in the deep. 

But those who choose the Right one, 

Grow manly, womanly, true ; 
God's love-light shines upon them, 

And falls as heavenly dew ; — 
They grieve at your wild folly, 

And will gladly help you back, 
If at any curve or turning 

You seek the trusty track. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



205 




But ah ! the scars you 're wearing, 
From thorns that pierced you sore, — 



206 Mother Truth's Melodies. 

And the ditches in which you 've fallen, 
That were strewn with roses o'er ; — 

And the joys you 've lost, unnumbered, 
That spring from good deeds done ; — 

And the fruits you 've missed, unmeasured. 
That by others have been won. 



Though friends may be indulgent, 

And loved ones even forget, 
Yourself can never banish 

The memories that beset.. 
You will wish you had never travelled 

The way that leads to death ; 
You will wish you had never revelled 

In the viper's venomed breath. 

So beware which track you follow ; 

And again I say, beware ! 
The False is strewn with roses, — 

The True looks bleak and bare ; 
But this, 't is plain, is only 

That youthful, artless eyes 
Are open to show and glamour 

But see not deep nor wise. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



207 



To Truth then, children, listen, 

And cultivate the seed 
That in your hearts God planted, 

To serve your every need ; — 
Yes, heed the voice within you, 

And follow it all the way, 
For it will help you choose the road 

That leads to endless day. 







208 



Mother Truth's Melodies, 



MABEVS SNO W-FEA THERS. 

LISTEN, children, while I tell you 
What our merry Mabel said 

When she saw the feathery snow-flakes 
Tumbling down about her head. 




Clapping hands and dancing gayly, 
" Mama, mama, come and see ! 

Come and see the feathers, mama, 
Soft and white as they can be ! " 



Mother Trtitti s Melodies. 209 

Standing then a moment, pondering 
As it were, whence came the snow, 

Little face so wise and thoughtful, 
Mabel cried : " Oh, now I know, 

'* There are lots of eider ducklets 
Up in Heaven, above the blue, 
And they're dropping off their feathers, — 
And such downy feathers, too ! 

" See them frolic with each other ; 
See them kiss as fast they fly ; 
See them make believe they're going to, 
Then go gayly flitting by. 

" See them, on the Spruce and Balsam, 
Pile up little soft, fat hands ; 
See their many plump, white cushions ; 
See them wave their fairy wands. 

" See the showers of flying feathers 
Whisking 'round in merry moods ; 
See, the telegraph their perch is, — 
Oh, I'm sure they're almost birds ! " 



210 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



Now she fancies she can hear 
them 
Whisper of their ducklet 
birth ;— 
Hear their soft and wean-y 
quacklings, 
As they tumble down to earth. 

Now she listens for the jingle 
Of the sleigh-bells they will 
bring ; 

Now she sees the flying horses, 
Prancing gayly at their ring. 




Lovely are these fleecy feathers, 
Dainty in each rare device ; 

All unlike our ducklet feathers, — 
White and soft, but cold as ice. 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



211 




Yet they cover, warmly cover 

Mother Earth so bleak and brown ; 

Cover her with feathery mantles, 
Comforters of eider-down. 




212 



Mother Truth's Melodies. 



THE LADDIE- AND LASSIE-BIRDS. 




LMa 



COME sit with me in the green-wood bower, 
While I sing you a song of love ; — 

'Tis the song of the birds 

In the deep, wild woods, 
'Tis the song of the sweet ring-dove. 



The laddie-bird says, " I have come to woo ; " — 
And the lassie-bird, " Ah ! coo, coo, coo, coo." 



Mother TrutJis Melodies. 2 1 3 

The laddie-bird says, " With a hope to win," — 
And the lassie-bird, " Coo, coo, that is no sin." 

The laddie-bird says, " Together we'll dwell," 
And the lassie-bird says, " In the Linden dell." 

The laddie-bird says, " And build our nest," 

And the lassie-bird says, " In the tree to the West." 

The laddie-bird says, tl And raise our brood," 
And the lassie-bird says, " In the sweet solitude." 

The laddie-bird says, " Till they're fit to fly," 
And the lassie-bird, " Yes, to the blue, blue sky." 

The laddie-bird says, " Let us hie away ; " — 
And the lassie-bird, " Yes, and begin to-day." 

The laddie-bird says, " I will take this moss," — 
And the lassie-bird says, " And I, this floss." 



214 



Mother Tint tis Melodies. 




The laddie-bird says, 

"And we'll love so 
true ; " 

And the lassie-bird, 

" Ah, yes, coo, coo, coo." 

Tis the old-new song that the 
birds have sung, 
Aye, the birds of every race, 
Since the world was planned, 
And came forth from the hand 
Of the Maker, aglow with grace. 



'Tis the song they will sing till time is o'er,— 
Tis the stream that from Paradise gushed ; 



Mother Truth 's Melodies. 



215 




And the music that flows 
When the love-light glows, 
Will never, no, never be hushed. 



